Happy 101

I was recently awarded the very fun Happy 101 Blogger Award from my friend over at Sassy Times. I am usually very awful at receiving awards and passing them on, but Look! I'm doing it! And I'm very thankful to my blogger friend for giving me this award. Her blog makes me very happy, so I'm flattered that she chose to pass the award along to me! Who doesn't love the happy dance?

I must name ten things that make me do the happy dance. Love it.

So, let's get dancing!

1) An unexpected card in the mail from a friend. I have one friend in particular who is very good at this and I always do the happy dance when I see that I've received a card from her!

2) Greeting Cub in his crib, whether it's after a nap or in the morning. He bounces around and claps and laughs ... how could I NOT do the happy dance when I see that??

3) Dark chocolate. This happy dance is much slower, savoring every bite. I'm a sucker for a good chunk of dark chocolate.

4) Hearing my husband and Cub laugh as they run around the house playing hide-n-seek. It's the best sound in the world.

5) Editing pictures I've taken of wonderful people and finding one that's just "it". The "it" picture always warrants a happy dance, right there at the computer!

6) Opening gifts from my mother-in-law. She knows my weakness for purses and more than once I've let out lots of giggles and squeals when opening a present from her! Verbal happy dances, I think.

7) Vacation. I love to be on the go.

8) Hearing good news from a friend. Good news is like honey to the soul, especially when it comes from someone you love!

9) Walking through the door at my parents' house and seeing my Mom walking towards me down the hall. No matter how old I get, that always stirs up a bit of a weepy happy hug dance. :)

10) Feeling the sunshine warm on my face for the first time after winter. Mmmm. Nothing like it.

Now it's time to pass it along! Here it goes!

1) Bethany. My sweet dear amazing sister friend since we were twelve, with whom I STILL do the happy dance when I see her. She has the happy dance perfected. You should see it.

2) Aunt Pam. She told me she was making her bruschetta chicken for our Christmas dinner with their family, and let me tell you, that bruschetta chicken deserves a happy JIG. Delicious!

3) Alyson. Amazing Mom who makes me laugh pretty much every time I spend time with her. Her posts are always insightful and wise ... with a nice dose of down to earth common sense!

4) Leslie. My witty online friend whom I've never met but I'm still holding out hope that we WILL meet. Someday. When our kids are grown, probably. Ha ha.

5) Christine. SHE CRACKS ME UP. She is the epitome of the happy dance. She was my RA in college and she absolutely beams with joy. Love her!

I hope you find a reason to dance today!

A Very Precious Penny.

Yesterday I awoke in the middle of the night, sweating. My throat was on fire, my neck was stiff, and my head was pounding. Bleh. I knew some kind of sickness was coming on, so I took my temp. I didn't have a fever, which was weird, since I had chills, but I knew there was still something wrong. I woke my husband up and asked if he could stay home a bit in the morning so I could go to our town's urgent care clinic and get checked out (being pregnant, I didn't want to risk anything if it was the flu). He said sure.

When morning finally rolled around, my head still throbbed and my husband remembered he had a meeting at work with some clients that he couldn't miss (that had understandably escaped his mind at 2:00am). I totally understood, but didn't know what to do about going to the doctor. I really didn't want to take Cub to the urgent care clinic with me and put his health at risk (more than it already was with me), but I also knew I needed to get it taken care of.

So, that's when I placed the call.

To Penny.

Let me back up a bit. Penny is someone who came into my life a few years ago. We met through worship team (we both play the piano) and through the years we've come to serve on various ministries together and have developed a very tight friendship (I also refer to her as my mentor, as she is quite wise, as well). Her kids are almost all grown and she and her husband are the epitome of what it means to serve. Penny makes herself available by helping out other moms by watching their kids, or running errands for someone, or taking someone to an appointment, or just going to lunch with you to make sure you're doing okay. I'm telling you, this woman is amazing. When I miscarried two years ago, she immediately came in to cover my position at church (when I was working there) and then afterwards she came to my house to check on me. Her family has watched Cub on numerous occasions (her kids are homeschooled and the two that are still at home are so great with him--which speaks volumes for teenagers!) and he loves going to Miss Penny's house.

So. Back to yesterday.

I placed the call, feeling all kinds of guilty for calling so early, but sure enough, Penny was more than willing to oblige. I dropped Cub off and went to urgent care and while I sat in the waiting room, Penny texted me and told me to just go home afterwards and they would watch Cub the rest of the day. Again, I felt so guilty, but I also knew she wouldn't offer if she didn't want to do it! It turns out I had an upper respiratory infection (bleh) so I got my meds and went home. I checked throughout the day to make sure everything was going well and Penny said they were having a blast. When I went over to pick Cub up later that afternoon, he was wearing a new outfit they had bought him. I thanked them over and over again for watching him on such late notice and, as is usually the case, Penny waved it off and said they were happy to do it.

She even sent me home with some homemade soup.

As I get older and have my own family and see more and more of life as an adult, I realize what a blessing it is to have people like Penny (and her family) in my life. She not only helps me out, but she also inspires me to do the same for other people. I hope I can be as helpful to young Moms as Penny was (and is) to me.

I know this post seems kind of random, but I think it's important to acknowledge people who deserve an honorable mention but rarely get it.

So, props to you, Miss Penny. 

And a huge, huge THANK YOU!

Par-Tay.

On Saturday night, I hosted our annual Toewkernskins Christmas Party. Obviously, the name makes absolutely no sense, except to us, as it is the mashing together of our three last names, we three couples who are very close and dear friends. One day a few years ago we came up with that name as a joke, and, as with most things that begin as a joke, it stuck.

This was our third-ish annual Toewkernskins Christmas Party (I say "ish" because we took a baby break last year) and every time we get together we are sure to involve cheesy games, fun crafts, and even cheesier pictures. And, best of all, some really awesome memories.

I was going to originally make this post about putting on a memorable Christmas party, but the night wasn't exactly a picturesque evening of proper hosting etiquette. Observe:

Firstly, my husband thought it would be hilarious if he hand-wrote a sign that said "Please Enter Through Back Door" and stuck in on our front door, unbeknownst to me. So, as I heard voices by the door, I happily trotted to the entry way in my heeled boots and swung open the door ... to find an empty stoop and a piece of printer paper taped below my wreath. Very funny, hun. Sure enough, our friends were peeking in our back door, wondering why in the world they were told to go that way, and, most of all, wondering why they fell for it! 

(I removed the sign for our next guests.)

Then, my jalepeno poppers (that I found on Leslie's site! that our usually delicious!) that include jalapenos, cream cheese, and bacon, were just a tad HOT. HOTTER THAN USUAL. I removed the seeds, the meat, and then rinsed them under ice-cold water in a colander as I usually do, and they still had zing. I've made them before and they were crisp and mellow, but for some reason this batch had an extra snap. Which isn't exactly awesome when three of the six party goers (including myself) are with child and rather prone to heartburn. Thankfully, I had some extra cream cheese in the fridge, so I smeared some on a plate, blobbed on some raspberry preserves, and tossed some club crackers next them and Voila! A sweeter appetizer. 

Oh sigh.

THEN, yes there is another THEN, my delicious-looking stuffed pork tenderloin and flank florentine did not get done in time. As in, they were supposed to take thirty minutes and they ended up taking TWO HOURS. I purchased them at our local grocery store that I love, but I think the butcher who advised me as to the cooking procedure must really prefer his meat RARE. So, we sawed off the cooked chunks and tossed them back in the oven throughout the meal, making it more of a progressive dinner. Thankfully, there were sides to eat, plus delicious desserts that the girls brought. Oh my. 

Really, the best parties are the ones where your attendees don't judge your pork tenderloin.

So. You get the idea. The hosting wasn't exactly Martha Stewart caliber (Although, oh my gosh, would she be a good host? Really? Is she actually nice and personable in real life? I'm not sure. I think it would be better to be personable than to make a good pork tenderloin.) BUT, the party itself was a blast. This year was particularly special because we decided it would be the last party without kids. Two of the three couples have one baby (which we got sitters for), and all three families have one on the way. It was incredibly special and we all got excited when we pictured next year's chaos with FIVE little ones under the age of three.

And you know you've reached a new stage in life when that actually sounds exciting, rather than really, really scary.

And having the kind of friends who picture it as exciting, too, is priceless. 

And I can't wait.

So, of course, here are some pictures to document the event. Enjoy!

My table. A bad picture, really. I pictured a winteresque theme in my mind, complete with white plates and gold napkins and such, until I realized I didn't own white plates. Or a set of six napkins that matched. So, the table ended up as colorful. And I ended up loving it.

The cream cheese/raspberry preserves appetizer that saved the day!

The three preggos with their bellies. Ta-da!

My husband was in charge of the Christmas pictionary this year. He did great.

A good friend hard at work!

Decorating commemorative ornaments. We plan on doing this every year and involving the kiddos, too.

Nicely done.

We hung them on the baker's rack to dry and my eyes got teary when I saw them. Such sweet memories, really.

The whole group. Life has taken each of us through our own highs and lows, and we're so grateful to still have each other on the other side of it. And for the next stage of our journey that lies ahead.

A good party, indeed.

Peace.

Here is the reading I did for the Peace candle in Advent this week. If you are about to correct me and tell me it's the Joy week, you may refer to my Hope passage from last week to find out why we're doing Peace this week! :) Part of the prayer at the end is from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. Don't worry. He was a good guy. :)

Have a lovely day, friends. 

Today we are celebrating the second week in Advent. The word "Advent" means "arrival" or "coming". We use the wreath to prepare and ready ourselves for Christmas morning.  The evergreen represents the life that can be given through Christ alone and the roundness of the wreath signifies that that life is everlasting. The lit candles remind us that Christ is the light of the world. While the tradition of the Advent wreath dates back to the 1600's, its significance still stands even today, in traditional and non-traditional services alike, as Christians come together to recognize the importance of bringing our focus back to the miracle of Christmas morning. 

Today we will light the candle of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6--"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

For some of us, Christmas is a time to gather with family and loved ones. But, also for some of us, Christmas is a difficult time, through family crises or differences that have grown between us and loved ones throughout the years. And, sometimes the memories surrounding this season are just difficult. This week is a significant week in Advent because it focuses on the truth that Christ is the Prince of Peace. We are encouraged to put aside differences and focus on peace--to focus on reconciliation--and to truly allow the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. Christ's birth happened in the middle of great civil unrest, when the prayer for peace cried out throughout the country from God's people. And today we continue to pray for that peace--within our homes and around the world. 

Let us pray.

Lord, make us your instruments of peace. Where there is hatred let us sow love, where there is injury, pardon, Where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, and where there is sadness, joy. Oh, Divine Spirit, grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. Let us focus on your peace and remember Your words that say 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.' In Christ's name, Amen. 

Baby Soft.

While the weather outside is blustery and chilly and wonderfully winteresque, the scenic snow and freezing temps can also mean DRY SKIN. My husband and I both deal with it (ugh) and on more than one occasion, I've developed excema.

Fun!

Well, our little Tator Tot was not, unfortunately, spared from the perils of itchy winter skin. And finding a regiment that kept red blotches at bay has been quite a task. We tried everything from sticky Vaseline to the old Aveeno standby to greasy Eucerin. And while these products are generally good, they never seemed to work super-great on our little Cub. Plus, some of them were kind of a mess. But, after some diligent trial and error, we've finally figured something out that works for us.

So! I thought I'd share our tips, in case you have a little one with dry skin and you are at your wit's end trying to figure out how to remedy it. Of course, every bebe is different, but, you never know--this might work for you, too!

It all starts in the tub, friends.

We realized early on that Cub's bath time would be more on the side of short and sweet rather than long and lingering, since more time simmering in the tub meant we were upping the likelihood for drier skin. So, Cub's baths are only a few minutes long--long enough for him to splash around and have fun, but short enough that his chubby little fingers never make it to pruny. We keep the water temperature at a comfortable lukewarm. He could tolerate hotter, but, again, hot water means dry, itchy skin!

I use Burt's Bees Baby Bee shampoo and wash and I love it. However, we haven't really noticed a difference in his skin with using other brands, since all baby shampoo is pretty gentle anyway. But, so far this has been our favorite!

After Cub gets a good scrub and shampoo, that's when the regiment really begins. We empty the tub and while he's still sitting there, damp and delicious, we cover him in this stuff:

Johnson's baby oil GEL, with Aloe and Vitamin E. My mother-in-law first introduced me to this stuff (and the idea of putting it on Cub while he was still damp--that method works for adults, so DUH, it works for babies, too!). I love it. It really locks in moisture and nourishes Cub's skin.

We then lift the somewhat slippery Cub from the tub and set him on a towel. We gently pat him dry (the oil soaks in his skin and doesn't come off on the towel) and then apply the next round of moisturizer:

Cetaphil moisturizing lotion! LOVE IT. It's what I use for myself and it is gentle enough for Cub, too. We liberally apply this all over his chubby yummy legs and arms and tummy and back, where we earlier applied the baby oil gel. And we put a tiny dab on his face, even though I've heard that's a faux pas. Oh well. :)

After he is thoroughly moisturized, we go straight to getting him dressed. In the summertime we let him run around naked for a while, because that's just all kinds of cute, but in the winter, we take the better-safe-than-sorry method and try to get him in clothes ASAP to help keep in the moisture. After some thigh-pinching and nose-kissing we toss on the clothes and Voila! He's done. Not sticky or ooey-gooey ... just baby soft.

See, I told you it was kind of a regiment.

But, it works. And trust me, if you've had a baby (or kid or teenager or spouse or YOURSELF) who has suffered the frustration that is red, itchy, dry skin, you'll understand why this is so great. No prescription ointment needed and really, it's a quick routine once you get it down. It's just a part of bath time now so Cub expects it, which helps it go by quickly, too!

So. I highly recommend giving this stuff a try if you're in need any kind of skin care SOS with your little one. Who knows--it just might work!

Have a lovely (and dry-skin free) day!

Festival of Trees!

My Mom came to visit us on Wednesday and we headed out in the freeeezing air to enjoy the delicacies of The Cheesecake Factory before perusing our way through a local museum to view their Festival of Trees. It was a delightful time! And here are pictures. Because I take lots of pictures.

Here I am eating Godiva Cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory. Our waiter, Mark, informed us that some ladies had ordered the same cheesecake earlier, only they had pronounced it "Go Diva" rather than Godiva. So, naturally, we referred to our cheesecake as "Go Diva" cheesecake from that point on, adding a bit of an Arkansan twang just to make it stick. :)

The trees! Tall, short, green, white, bedecked in lights, bedecked in paper ... all very lovely. This is one row of many. It was so fun!

Cub also loved the trees. His facial expressions were priceless!

We ventured upstairs to view their large gingerbread collection. This was too fun. There were so many creative displays! This was my personal favorite.

Okay, so maybe THIS was my favorite. :) Cub was such a champ and didn't touch anything. I was very proud of him, really. This is something I'm experiencing now in his stage of life. As he learns rules and boundaries, he abides by them very well for the most part. But, then there are days where he is just exceptionally good. Those days are amazing. This was one of those days and I felt a new kind of pride as a parent. Apparently, there are several types of parental pride. :)

Then we headed to the actual museum and Cub enjoyed some lovely pieces of art. Here his Memere is showing him a scene from New England. He seems very interested!

And here we are at the end of our adventure. A fun time was had by all and I'm so glad we remembered the camera so we could document it!

Thank you for coming along with us. :)

Have a lovely day!

Wordless Wednesday!

My friend Megan and I at our church's ladies' Christmas party last night. She found her thrifty sweater at Goodwill for $2.75 and I made mine using a Wal-Mart hoodie and puff paint. 'Tis the season!!